South LA property sued as “nuisance”

Property at 1233 West 52nd Street, South Los Angeles. The L.A. City Attorney has filed a lawsuit against its owner claiming it is a nuisance property. | Photo Courtesy City Attorney’s Office

By Marc Sallinger and Bess Pierson

The office of City Attorney Mike Feuer filed two nuisance abatement lawsuits Tuesday against properties with a history of drugs and violence.

One property is in Hollywood and the other in South LA, at 1233 W. 52nd Street, between Normandie and Vermont, and only three blocks away from 52nd Street Elementary School.

“That residence has allegedly been known as a free-for-all for the sale of PCP, presence of weapons and for the presence of known gang members again and again,” said Feuer.

In the past year alone, at least nine incidents have occurred at the South LA property that involved PCP or weapons, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed against the owner of the single-family home, Mattie J. Sampson, and her adult son Bobby J. Sampson. City attorneys are hoping to get an injunction that would prevent Sampson’s son,
Bobby J. Sampson from entering the property. The son is a known gang member, according to Feuer.

“We want to send a real strong message to wrong-doers, wherever they may be, that it’s not going to be tolerated anymore,” said Curren Price, LA City Councilmember for District 9. “We’re going to come after you strong and hard.”

According to the city’s lawsuit, the property is a “hybrid PCP swap meet and flop house,” where the Crips street gang operated.

Like Intersections on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and sign up for the Newsletter to stay in the loop on news and views from South L.A.